Josephine Goodyear Foundation

The Josephine Goodyear Foundation traces its roots back to 1912 when Mrs. Frank Goodyear donated funds to build the Josephine Goodyear Convalescent Home on Main Street in Williamsville, New York. The home housed disadvantaged women and children and provided pre-operative services to prepare them for the rigors of early surgery and to provide post surgery recovery. After World War II, with the development of antibiotics, the need for such services was greatly reduced. The property was then sold and the foundation was established.

At the close of 2006, the Goodyear Foundation transferred its assets of over $6 million into a foundation under the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo. Benefits of the transfer include lower administrative fees, reduced operating costs, improved investment returns and increased granting flexibility for the newly formed Josephine Goodyear Foundation.

The Josephine Goodyear Foundation now funds approximately 50 annual grants totaling about $300,000. Grant decisions are made at Advisory Council meetings held in May and September of each year by our Contributions Committee. Applications are accepted from tax-exempt organizations in two pages or less with deadline dates of April 15 and August 15 each year.

Our mission calls for assistance to non-profit agencies which help "indigent women and children, particularly with their physical needs". In the past, most of our efforts have been focused on medical facilities but we have broadened that scope in more recent years so that we can aid needy women and children in other ways. Our funding is concentrated on the Greater Buffalo area.